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SPONSORS: | Roland Lavallee & Fall River Storefront Artists |
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![]() MISSION and PHILOSOPHY ![]() |
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We at ArtInRuins believe that decay is beautiful, but not necessary. Artists live and work in the buildings that the city or developers have often forgotten, and now that Providence is becoming a hip town (or a suburb of Boston) these buildings and the artists, musicians and businesses who lived and worked in them are getting used for purposes that do not contribute to the community in the same way. We are not against new development, we are only opposed to unsustainable or irresponsible development. Before you get all up in arms, let us define a heated buzz word; Yuppies: (noun and sometimes four-letter word) Conspicuous consumers.. they are not an age group, they are a state of mind. Yuppies aren't all bad, as they buy art and spend money at expensive restaurants. The problem is when there are too many of them, because, by our definition, Yuppies consume, they do not contribute to the larger culture. We need a balance of the spender-consumers and the producer-artists/small business owners. To quote from “The Urban Mill Restoration and Tax Exemption Act”, introduced in February, 2002 by the RI General Assembly:
We believe the state said it best in the introduction of this tax credit bill, and so, ArtInRuins is here to track the happenings of mill buildings and industrial remnants in the state, as well as the plight of artists who inhabit these spaces. As Providence grows, though, many of these buildings are being razed to make way for chain stores and expensive loft apartments. What happens to the artists? What happens to the city as they are forced to move away? What happens to our connections with history? What do we really lose when we don't preserve the past? These are some of the questions ArtInRuins tries to discuss. And also, we want to celebrate our state's great history: At the turn of the 20th century, it was claimed that Providence contained the world’s largest tool factory (Brown and Sharpe), file factory (Nicholson File), engine factory (Corliss Steam Engine Company), screw factory (American Screw), and silverware factory (Gorham). These were proclaimed as Providence’s Five Industrial Wonders of the World. (Conley and Campbell p. 100). About the Site We hope ArtInRuins will be a place people can come together
and discuss the issues affecting art, artists, musicians and architecture
in Providence. We have eleven different sections in place, and that's
a lot of rooms to fill. |
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© 2008 content ArtInRuins. Web design donated by Highchair designhaus. Other support provided by the Narragansett Boat Club, Pearl Street Lofts and Deborah Goldhaft, Fire Ice Glass Studio. |